Cinderella

Rewind to February 2019 and a couple of firsts. Not only was it my first visit to Coleshill on Stage – and therefore to Coleshill Town Hall – it was also their very first pantomime after 110 years of existence.

Back in 2019, the chosen pantomime was Cinderella. Fast forward seven years, a worldwide pandemic later, and we arrive in February 2026 with a return to Cinderella, this time written by Alan P. Frayn.

Over the last seven years, the annual pantomime has gone from strength to strength. One thing, however, has remained constant: each pantomime has been directed by Tom Willson, who has also appeared in most of them.

On this occasion, I was delighted to be joined by Kay Rowan, NODA National President. We were both pleased to be able to join the cast and crew on stage following the final curtain. This followed a warm welcome to the venue from John Kerr, Chairman of the society, and Pauline Peach, who holds numerous titles, not least President and Production Assistant, as well as working on props and costumes.

The show opened to a stage full of ensemble members and a rousing rendition of Could It Be Magic and I’ll Be There for You. These numbers set the scene perfectly for a production full of magic and energy, delivered by a large, well-drilled ensemble. Congratulations to both Alisha and Izzie.

I find myself repeating what I wrote seven years ago: “The role of Buttons was in safe hands with Tom Willson, who also directed the production.” This statement remains true and, if anything, even more so today. Tom has a natural way with an audience, even one that may appear less responsive. The audience call-back for Buttons – six words long (“Buttons, Bob the Bunny’s been bothered”) – was perhaps not as loud as Tom might have wished. Whether this was down to poor memory, a tongue-twisting phrase, or a fear of getting it dreadfully wrong, the moment was still handled with ease and good humour.

Cinderella was played by Molly Bennett. This type of “goodie-goodie” role can sometimes be limiting, but Molly brought a likeable and believable character to life and did so very effectively. Well done.

Of course, Cinderella would be nothing without the Ugly Sisters – roles steeped in British pantomime tradition. Grizelda was in the very safe hands of Rob Sharratt, who has become a firm favourite as a dame with Coleshill on Stage and enjoys a strong rapport with the audience (particularly the chosen “victim”). Gertrude was played by newcomer Noah Gray, who worked extremely well with Rob and is certainly one to watch going forward. The pair complemented each other nicely.

Strong pairings continued with Jodie Butler as Prince Charming and Amy Reynolds as Dandini. A ballroom scene, in which the sisters made determined efforts to dance with the prince (with few references to the Prince’s “balls” in this script), was particularly well staged.

The slapstick wallpapering scene, set to Left Bank Two by The Noveltones (known to many as the Vision On theme), was nicely handled by Bodgett (Hannah Trowman) and Leggett (Daniel Butler).

Special mention must go to Billy Morris-Steele as Chambers for exceptionally clear voice projection.

Further solid performances came from Sharon Norman as the Fairy Godmother, Harvey Grant as Baron Hardup, and Angela Ivis-Peach as the Baroness. Often overlooked in pantomime is the horse – known here as Hagan – and credit is due to Hope Goodyear and Emarnee Stewart.

Coleshill on Stage have embraced technology in recent years. The increased use of radio microphones, LED lighting, and projection continues to enhance their productions. Projection, rather than traditional backcloths, are a hallmark of the society. While there was some light bleed onto costumes and set, the overall effect was very good. The village projection was bright and appropriate, as was the song sheet, but the cloud projection surrounding Cinderella’s coach was particularly ingenious.

Once again, it was a pleasure to spend time with Coleshill on Stage, and here’s to panto 2027. In the meantime, they have two upcoming productions either in planning or rehearsal: Musicals Through Time in May, and the musical Calamity Jane in September 2026. I look forward to both.

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